Leaf-litter thrips of the genus Psalidothrips (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripidae) from Australia, with fifteen new species

Abstract

A key is given to 16 Psalidothrips species known from Australia. In contrast to members of this genus from other parts of the world, most of these species show a strong tendency toward wing loss, with associated character states, also remarkable reduction in sclerotisation of the thoracic sclerites. Character state variation is discussed, and 15 new species are described and illustrated: P. bipictus sp.n., P. brittoni sp.n., P. cecryphalus sp.n., P. daguilari sp.n., P. driesseni sp.n., P. gloriousi sp.n., P. greensladeae sp.n., P. howei sp.n., P. minantennus sp.n., P. platetus sp.n., P. postlei sp.n., P. tritus sp.n., P. trivius sp.n., P. verus sp.n. and P. wellsae sp.n.

A new species of Apostlethrips (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripidae); an Australian genus from grass tussocks

“…Comments. In contrast to the species of the most common leaf-litter Phlaeothripidae in Australia, Psalidothrips, Zemiathrips and Mystrothrips (Wang et al 2019;Mound 2002;Mound & Tree 2018), the species of Apostlethrips have the prosternal basantra developed, the body setae shorter, and little sculpture on the body surface. The capitate ocellar setae are particularly unusual in the three species of this genus.…”

“…In most of the warmer parts of the world, a considerable diversity of thrips live only at ground level where they feed on fungi. In Australia, many such Phlaeothripidae species live in leaf-litter (Mound et al 2013;Wang et al 2019), but a different and smaller suite of thrips lives particularly at the base of tussocks of grasses and similar plants (Mound & Minaei 2006;Eow et al 2014;Mound & Tree 2018). One genus in this suite, Apostlethrips, has been known only from two species (ThripsWiki 2019), both of which were taken from the base of Triodia grasses in the northern parts of Western Australia.…”

The genus Hoplothrips in Australia (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripinae), with eleven new species

“…In contrast, Priesner (1960) placed Hoplothrips among the group of genera now considered as the Liothrips-lineage, presumably on the basis of the shape of the fore wings. Published accounts are available for Australian species of three of the four genera, with 14 named species in Deplorothrips (Mound & Tree 2016), 16 named species in Hoplandrothrips (Mound & Tree 2013), and 16 named species in Psalidothrips (Wang et al 2019). For the genus Hoplothrips only six species have previously been recorded from Australia, but the account presented here recognizes 19 species, including 11 new species.…”